Page 112 of Long Story Short

“You didn’t even read it,” I point out before letting out a small laugh.

“I didn’t need to,” he responds easily, not thinking twice about the words that leave his mouth. “I know you.”

My chest squeezes at his words because he does know me. He knows me more than anyone ever has—or ever will.

“I do think it’s the best book I’ve ever written,” I admit softly. It feels weird to say the words out loud, but it’s true. I’m so damn proud of how the book turned out, no matter what it took to get it there.

“I bet it is,” he murmurs.

I nod because I realize I don’t just think it…I know it’s the best book I’ve written, by a landslide.

It’s because I stopped holding back. I let myself feel things—real things. I allowed myself to be vulnerable and put myself in a position to be hurt so I could really feel what it was like to care for someone the way you write about in romance books.

And it’s because of Tyson.

Because of the Hamptons.

Because I was able to find myself and my love for writing love stories again.

I move my hand to his chest, pressing it right against the spot where his heart beats. His skin is warm under my touch, the thrum of his heartbeat thumping against my fingertips. I don’t know how escaping to the Hamptons led to me finding the man lying next to me, but I’m so happy it did.

What started out as me trespassing onto his lawn to chase after my cat has transpired into something so much more. Something beautiful and ours.

I thought he’d help inspire me for the summer and show me what passion was like, and we’d leave it at that.

But I can’t leave anything when it comes to him.

Even when we were still getting to know one another, and everything happened with Pop, Tyson never once faltered in being by my side. He’s proven that he’s here to stay, that he isn’t going anywhere.

He’s healed wounds I didn’t even realize existed. After losing my parents and then my grandmother, I think I’ve been scared of letting myself love someone. When you love people, you give them the power to hurt you—whether intentional or unintentional. I didn’t think I could handle the hurt again, but then Tyson came along.

And I realized that some things were worth the risk. He’s worth the risk. He always has been.

Because I’m in love with him. He owns my heart, and I’ve known from the moment he dropped everything to get me on a jet when Pop had his stroke, but I didn’t want to say it with everything going on. I wanted both of us to be able to hold on to the words when I said them.

And now feels like the perfect time to finally say them out loud.

Tyson’s eyes stare into mine as his own face takes on a thoughtful expression.

“Ty,” I begin.

“Josie, I—” he says at the same time.

We both stop, a small breath of laughter leaving us. The sound is soft and quiet under the covers.

“You first,” I whisper, wanting to know what he was going to say.

His eyes don’t leave mine. Not for a single second. Something in my chest tightens at the intense way he looks at me. It’s almost like he’s been holding on to something just as tightly as I have, waiting for just the right moment to finally say it out loud.

“I’m in love with you,” he says, his words confident. He says them slowly, but there’s a slight rasp to his voice that sends a shiver down my spine. His words are steady and certain, like he’s known the feeling for a while and has just been waiting for the right moment to express it.

My breath catches, and even though I was planning on saying the exact same thing to him, I can’t get words out.

“I didn’t plan on this happening,” he continues. “I really didn’t think I’d ever give up control enough to get here.” His lips twitch slightly, but it’s not his usual smirk. It’s softer and real—full of love. “But somewhere along the way, you changed that. You changed me.”

My chest aches—the good kind—at his words. I curl my fingers around the fabric of his shirt and pull his body even closer. Emotion builds in my throat, thick and overwhelming in the best kind of way.

“I’m in love with you too,” I say, the words feeling good leaving my mouth. It feels right to finally say them out loud to him. “I think I have been for a while,” I add on. “I just didn’t want to say it when it felt like everything else was falling apart.”